Meet Vincent Bueno, the Fil-Austrian singer competing in Eurovision 2021

Filipino-Austrian singer Vincent Bueno is set to represent Austria in the Eurovision music contest in Rotterdam, Netherlands from May 18 to 22, 2021. 

Bueno released his official entry “Amen” on March 10, describing the song as “primarily about this inner struggle with your own strengths and weaknesses, that everyone knows which leads to a bright future.” 

He will be the 5th performer on the second day of the semi-final rounds on May 20 and will be competing against thirty-nine other participants. 

Here’s what we know about Vincent Bueno so far:

• He was born in Vienna, Austria to Ilocano parents in 1985. “I am representing Austria but I am also holding my flag for the Philippines,” Bueno told GMA News Online. 

• He first rose to fame as the winner of the Austrian TV contest Musical! Die Show in 2008. During his time in the competition, Bueno performed well-known musical hits such as Grease’s “Greased Lightnin’” and The Phantom of Opera’s “The Music of the Night.” 

• Bueno signed with Universal Music PH and released the song “Party Hard” in 2011. The track was used as the theme song for ABS-CBN’s teen drama series Growing Up. 

• Bueno was also chosen to sing Philippines’ tourism campaign theme song “Piliin Mo Ang Pilipinas” with Angeline Quinto in 2011. 

• Bueno moved back to Vienna and competed in the Austrian national final for Eurovision in 2016 with the song “All We Need is That Love.” 

• Bueno produced his own talk show, Real Talk with Kuya Vince, in 2018. “With this show, I wanted to bring the Filipino culture closer to Austrians and unite communities together that normally wouldn’t get together,” he said. 

• Bueno will dedicate his Eurovision 2021 performance to speak up against Asian hate. “I am a very proud Asian representative of Austria for the Eurovision song contest and will not only sing for my country, but stand up for this uprising hate against Asian communities in the western society. As the only full blooded Asian contestant, I’m aware of my responsibility to speak up against injustice and ask for your guys’ compassion towards what has been taking place against my own,” he said. 

• Bueno was supposed to compete with the song “Alive” at Eurovision 2020, but the contest was cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic. – Rappler.com